Bastielle was heading towards the canteen. Some demonic hunger had possessed him late at night, and had caused him to seek out the school in search for some food. He was just about to enter the kitchen, when something shiny caught his eye.
In the dim glow of the moonlit sky, at the far end of the canteen, sat a small pile of madol. Well, small wasn’t the right word, depending on who you ask. To the average person it would be considered quite large. But Bastielle had seen more impressive hauls from his travels. This wouldn’t even fill a small treasure chest.
He wasn’t interested in the money until he saw just who was counting it. Sitting by herself, Dieselle was counting her money from her latest con. She managed to convince some first year from out a town that a paperclip was some sort of rare magical item with the ability to bring good luck. She made him pay extra for a ‘once in a lifetime offer’ that didn’t exist. Her eyes briefly glanced over him, but were quick to return to her pile of money, clearly more interested in that than him. Bastielle seemed shocked. Did he just get overlooked by a pile of cash? O no, certainly not.
He walked up to Dieselle, looking over her money with a snobbish grin. He knew exactly how to wind up people like her. “You call that a haul? I’ve seen better in my travels.”
Dieselles ears perked up. Within half a second she went from being half interested, to completely invested. Whenever the promise of money was around, she couldn’t help but pay extra attention. But she also knew better than to follow blindly along with what others say.
“Listen, I ain’t some half baked doll that you can cosy on up to without the sense of backin’ up your words. If ya gonna talk big, might as well have somethin’ to prove.” She placed her stack of cash down. “Now, show me the goods, or beat it.”
A sly smile began to leak on Bastielles face. He could never pass up the opportunity to tell one of his tales from the sea. And this time someone was actually asking for it! Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two shiny gemstones and placed them on the table. “I managed to wrangle these on my expedition on the fourth of the seven seas. It was a fine day for sailing...” He continued to talk about his adventures while Dieselle inspected the gems, but soon enough he was more invested in the hanging plant that caught his eye.
Suspended above them was a green branch coated in white dots. “What is this, some sort of plant? It’s green and white, with no petals on.”
“It’s mistletoe, ya dingus.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Bastielle poked it, reeling back his hand instantly as if expecting something terrible to happen. Of course, nothing did. It was just a plant, after all. Dieselle, on the other hand, couldn’t be less interested in the item. She hadn’t even realised she had been sitting under it. “It ain’t that interesting. Just a decoration that you and your moll share a honey cooler under.”
Bastielle gave Dieselle a blank look. He had no idea what the heck a ‘honey cooler’ was. Was it some sort of treat? Was it sweet? Could he have one? When he gave Dieselle a look to explain more, she obliged. “Ya know, a cherry smash, a smooch, a peck. Are any of these rinin’ a bell in that empty head of yours?”
He shook his head. She raised her brow. “Ya ain’t the sharpest knife in the draw, are you Mac?”
“Actually, it’s Bastielle.”
Dieselle sighed, placing the gemstones down. This boy just wasn’t taking the hint. “Fine. If ya lack the brains to pick up what I’m puttin’ down, guess I’ll have to show ya.”
Without warning, she grabbed Bastielle by the collar and pulled him down to her level, entrapping him with a kiss. It was quick, but forceful enough to leave an impression. She let go, allowing Basteille to stumble backwards into a chair. She smirked, scooping up the gems in her pockets and said her goodbyes, leaving a very confused and flustered Bastielle all by himself.
